one year six months
by talkingtummy
Summary: Eighteen months since Miyu-chan left, but Kanata has changed so much. 5 chapters only.
1. a change for the worse

_I'm here! _Miyu Kouzouki looked at the familiar landscape of Saionji Temple. It was only eighteen months after she left, but it felt like an eternity. Her knees wobbled as she climbed the stone steps, her smile becoming wider as she ascended. _I'm back! I wonder if he is still the same._

She grinned to herself, imagining Kanata's shocked, handsome face. _He won't be expecting this!_

She reached the top and quietly opened the door. She heard voices in the kitchen. _Who is that? I didn't know Kanata liked having visitors._

A girl said, "Oh, Kanata darling, that is _sooo_ funny!" and snorted.

Miyu stopped dead. _A girl? He has a girl in the temple? _She doubted it was Akira, Kanata's childhood friend--Akira didn't laugh like a pig, unlike the girl in the kitchen.

_And she called him 'darling'._

Summoning her courage, Miyu peeked in the kitchen and felt her stomach sink.

Kanata had his arm around a gorgeous, curvy girl with wavy auburn hair. He was feeding her pumpkin soup with his own spoon. And they were sitting so closely together. _So sweet. So close. Just like the way I always wanted Kanata to hold me._

Miyu planned to exit unnoticed, but unfortunately she knocked over a vase. _Damn! _She frantically began picking up the pieces when she heard footsteps coming towards her.

Her finger was bleeding, but she didn't stop picking up shards, until--

"Miyu?" Kanata's voice was shocked.

It wasn't the entrance Miyu wanted. She imagined Kanata running to her and enclosing her in his arms--

_Baka! _Miyu thought dolefully. _You and your imagination got us into this mess._

She plastered a smile on her face. It felt like a mask. "Hi. I just stopped by to see if everything was fine here." Her voice sounded unnaturally high and her smile felt stiffer and stiffer. "I guess I should go now, I didn't want to disturb you. Bye!"

She nearly flew out of the room.

Kanata felt numb. _What the hell is she doing here? Damn, her timing was so off!_

The auburn-haired girl wrapped her arm around his waist. "Kanata, darling, what's the matter? And who was that?" She pouted. "She isn't one of your girlfriends, was she? You promised that I was your only one."

He didn't seem to hear her as he wrenched her arm off his waist. "Um, this isn't a good time, Yui. Maybe you should go home."

"You won't even walk me home?"

"I don't feel like it. See you."

He practically pushed her out the door, still deep in thought.

Miyu was dazed. Her feet automatically headed towards Nanami's house. _Who is that girl?_

She was so lost in thought, she walked into someone. "Oof!" she said. "I'm so sorry." Then she realized that it was Christine.

"Chris!" she exclaimed. "I missed you so much!" She noticed that Christine's eyes were wet. "Chris? Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

Christine was sobbing so hard, her words her nearly incomprehensible. "B-because he j-j-just broke up with me last w-week and already he's going out with Yui Uchiha!"

"Aw, I'm so sorry for you, Chris… That guy must be a moron to leave you."

"He's not a moron… He's the smartest guy in our class… But you should know all about him," she added, which puzzled Miyu.

It took a while to calm Christine down. Finally Miyu said, "I'll be at Nanami's if you need me."

She set off again. When she reached Nanami's house, she saw that Aya there, too.

"Aya! Nanami!" Miyu cried. She ran to them and hugged them, and after exchanging greetings, the girls settled down in Nanami's bedroom. _Just like old times, _Miyu happily thought.

"So, what have you been up to?" Aya asked Miyu.

"Well, I am the top student in the batch at my new school," Miyu modestly said.

"Really? That's so great!"

"Yeah… I guess having Luu around cut into my time for studying."

Nanami said, "Did you meet any cute boys there?"

Miyu grinned. "Lots! And they were so persistent, but I turned them all down."

"Why?" demanded Aya. "Because of Kanata?"

The name made Miyu's heart beat faster. She didn't answer but instead posed a question of her own. "What happened to Christine? I met her on the way here; she was crying and saying something about some guy who left her."

Aya and Nanami looked at one another. "That 'some guy' is Kanata." Aya said.

"What?"

"He's a playboy now." Nanami explained.

"A _playboy_?"

"A womanizer. A pig. A jerk. Whichever term you prefer."

Miyu couldn't believe her ears. "Kanata went out with Chris?"

Aya nodded. "Yup. Two months after you left, he transformed from a woman-hater to a womanizer."

"But he's so quiet… And shy…"

"Not anymore! Now, he's slick, arrogant and confident. He's charming and handsome, a deadly combination."

Miyu laughed. The idea of Kanata being charming was new to her. "You're putting me on."

"She's laughing!" Nanami said to Aya, who replied, "I can see that. Maybe she won't be laughing when she finds out that Kanata is… the Octagon."

"The what?" Miyu asked.

"The Octagon! Kanata is the guy who dated eight girls all at once! He's very famous."

"_Eight girls?_ But how did he keep it secret from all of them?"

"He called them all 'darling', and scheduled their dates carefully."

"Sakura, Akiko Fuji, Yakama, Akiko Hitori, Christine, Akane, Miaka, Maki." Nanami recited. "His ex-girlfriends. All from different schools. Akiko Fuji was the one who blew Kanata's cover when she trailed him one day on a date with Chris."

"Wait a minute--he dated _Chris_?" Miyu was incensed. "What a jerk! He knows how much Chris likes him, and he just broke her heart!"

Aya smiled reminiscently. "She was the only one who didn't want to let go of Kanata. Unfortunately, he wanted to let go of her!"

Miyu didn't know what to feel. "How did Kanata escape serious injury? He should at least have landed in the hospital after cheating on eight girls."

Nanami sighed. "Kanata did some sweet-talking, and the girls all forgave him! He's still on good terms with everybody. I guess time can really change a person."

Sighing, Kanata lay down on the couch. "Miyu…" he murmured. He missed her so much, and now that she was back, he couldn't even face her because of what she'd seen.

He fervently wished that Yui would break up with him, but that wasn't likely--Yui clung to him like a leech.

He picked up the phone and dialed. He prepared his speech, one that he used so often before: "I need to talk to you… I don't think this relationship is working. We need to break up."

He tried to explain that he wanted the best for her, but Yui was crying so noisily that it didn't matter what he said. Yui hung up the phone, screaming, "Damn you, Kanata Saionji! You'll be begging for me tomorrow!"

Kanata felt bad. He only wanted to fill the gaping hole in his heart, but instead he seemed to be making a hole in other girls' hearts. He closed his eyes.

_Miyu, if you'll just come back to me, everything would be okay. _He ached for her touch, her sweet-smelling hair, her soft skin. _Miyu-chan… I should have told you…_ He imagined scenes in which Miyu confessed her undying love for him, and they kissed under the rain…

Kanata shook his head. He didn't know what to do.

Suddenly he heard breaking glass. "Who's there?" he called. _This temple really needs a lock on its doors._

He went out into the hallway and saw a beautiful blonde girl crouching over the remains of a glass figurine. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"_Miyu_?"


	2. awkward moments

Kanata rubbed his eyes to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. "Miyu? What are you doing here?"

Maybe he had never fully appreciated it before, or maybe it was the one year, six months that passed, but Miyu was looking more beautiful than ever.

Pink spots appeared on Miyu's face, making her prettier. "I, um, left my bags here." She cleared her throat as she started picking up the broken pieces again. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No… Miyu, what are you doing here? I mean, back here?" He grabbed her hands away from the shards.

"My parents sent me here again. Turns out, their project wasn't done yet, so they returned to America." She noticed that Kanata was still holding her hands, and remembering what Aya and Nanami told her, she pulled away.

Kanata felt foolish. He wasn't used to silence between them, and after what Miyu saw, he couldn't blame her for feeling awkward. Just to break the uncomfortable silence, he invited her to a cup of tea.

"So, uh, where will you be staying?" he asked her tentatively as she sipped her tea. _Please stay here,_ he begged silently. _I would do anything for you to stay here._

Miyu hesitated. "Um… Mom told me to stay here again, but I wouldn't want to be a burden to you."

_Miyu, please stay here! _"You wouldn't be a burden." He looked at her pleadingly. "Please, Miyu. Stay here. For old times' sake."

Miyu averted her eyes. "Oh… Um… Okay." _I guess I have no choice._

As he cleaned up the kitchen, Kanata wondered why Miyu was so uncomfortable with him. _Did anyone tell her about my reputation as the Octagon? _He hoped not. He was sure that Miyu would avoid him if she knew.

"Miyu?" he called.

"Yes?" Miyu answered from her bedroom.

"I'm going out to meet Santa. I'll be back before dinner. Don't cook anything, I'll bring you food."

"Okay."

_Weird,_ Miyu thought. _He never used to tell me much where he was going. And why is he so thoughtful all of a sudden? Is he putting the moves on me?_ She yawned. _I don't know how to act around him. It feels so weird! I wish Aya and Nanami had never told me about the Octagon…_

Kanata spotted Santa near a hotdog stand in the park.

"Hey, dude," Santa greeted him. "Do you know that Hotdog Express is selling hotdogs at _half-price_? I'm buying five, how about you?"

Kanata ignored Santa's rhapsodizing about frankfurters; he had more important things on his mind. "Santa, Miyu's back in town."

"She is? Great! Did you confess?" Santa was jubilant. Finally, his best friend would stop breaking girls' hearts and get together with the girl he really loved.

"Nope. She saw me and Yui."

"Oh, damn. Kanata, you idiot! Why did you let her see that?"

"She came by surprise, Santa! Besides, I broke up with Yui just now."

Santa was amused as he devoured his fourth hotdog. "That explains why she's giving you the evil eye." He nodded in the other direction, and soon enough, Yui was scowling at Kanata with red eyes. "Look, man, why don't you just tell Miyu how you feel?"

"It's not that easy!"

Santa finished his fifth hotdog. "I get why you're fooling around: you're looking for someone to replace her. It's sick and twisted, but I understand it. What I don't get," he added as he ordered three more hotdogs, "is _why_ you won't confess while you have the chance!"

Kanata sighed. "I know I should tell her, but I'm too scared."

Santa was incredulous. "You must have courted a hundred girls by now, so why are you suddenly chicken?"

Kanata didn't respond. No girl has ever made him feel the way Miyu did. She made him happy just by smiling or laughing or talking… He couldn't pull any of his moves on her.

Santa sensed Kanata's uncertainty. "If you don't confess soon, she'll go back and you'll lose her again, and maybe she won't come back. You have to tell her before it's too late."

_Too late… _Kanata was determined never to let Miyu slip away again. "Tell me how I should do it."


	3. that's why i love you

"I'm home!" Kanata called out as he entered the temple. "Miyu-chan?"

He found her sleeping soundly in her room. He sat down next to her and tenderly stroked her hair. _She looks like an angel. She's so beautiful. _

Hiseyes moved from her hair to her lips, and suddenly he had an irresistible urge to kiss her. _No, that wouldn't be right._

He wondered if someone else had given Miyu her first kiss while she was away, and the thought made him want to kick something.

Miyu's eyelids fluttered open. "Kanata?"

Kanata suddenly stood up. "I, um, brought some food. I got steamed fish and lemon chicken."

Miyu was instantly awake. "Those are my favorite dishes!" _He wasn't this thoughtful before… So why should he be now?_

He held out his hand to help her stand up. "I know, that why I brought them. Come on, let's eat."

They had a pleasant dinner, though Kanata observed that Miyu still felt a bit awkward. He wanted her to be cheerful and childlike and unreserved, like in the old days.

As they cleared the dishes, he said, "Miyu-chan?"

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Did Nanami and Aya… Did anyone tell you about the Octagon?"

Miyu stiffened. "Yes, why?"

"What do you think of him?" He was afraid of the answer.

She put down the dishes she was washing and looked directly into his eyes. "I think that he is a fool and a jerk, and that he deserves to be slapped if he thinks that he can fool around with me." She stalked out of the kitchen.

_So she knows._ Kanata wondered if she thought that he was making the moves on her. He knew that he ought to explain, but he couldn't face her tonight. He couldn't muster the strength.

He dried the dishes and went to the bathroom. As he changed his clothes, he felt weak and dizzy. _Is this the effect of loving someone too much?_

Miyu was pacing in her room. "Miyu, you shouldn't have said that." She scolded herself. "If he wasn't putting the moves on you, then you'll be laughed at for your presumption."

She picked up her toothbrush and made for the bathroom, but found that it was occupied. She knocked. "Kanata? I need to brush my teeth." There was no answer.

After 15 minutes, Miyu got impatient. "I'm coming in there whether you like it or not!"

She burst into the bathroom and gasped.

Kanata was lying on the bathroom floor!

Miyu willed herself not to panic. _Kanata-kun needs me._

She couldn't lift him, so she dragged him into his room. She managed to get him on his bed. She kept muttering, "Damn it, Kanata, you're making me worry! You could have collapsed in the kitchen and yet you chose to do it in the bathroom!"

She stuck a thermometer under his tongue. After reading his temperature, she exclaimed, "You're so hot!"

His mouth quivering on the verge of laughter, Kanata murmured faintly, "Thank… you… for the… compliment."

She laughed, relieved that he could still joke around even when he was sick. "I meant your temperature!"

Kanata tried to explain what happened. "I… was so dizzy. And weak… I couldn't call out… or stand… I'm sorry I'm being a problem…"

"You aren't a problem, Kanata." _Not in this way. _"I need to get some medicine and water. I'll be right back."

Miyu searched frantically for the medicine kit. _Where the hell is that damn thing?_ She found it in the kitchen cupboard and started searching.

"Eureka!' she yelled as she found the right medicine. "There you are.'

As she filled a glass with water, she wondered if Kanata was really putting the moves on her.

Miyu assisted Kanata into a sitting position and helped him drink his medicine. "Take it easy," she kept saying. When he had finally taken his medicine, she stroked his hair off his forehead. "You'll feel better soon."

Grabbing her hand, Kanata murmured, "Miyu-chan… please don't leave me."

She wanted to pull away, but she couldn't, not when he needed her. "Of course not, Kanata-kun."

"Stay with me tonight." It was a request, not a command.

Miyu was unsure. Aya and Nanami had warned her about his reputation, but Kanata was sick, and he needed her.

_And I need him, too. _She was surprised by her own thoughts, but she knew they were true.

So she sat down on the bed, saying, "Okay, Kanata-kun. You rest, now."

_My head hurts… like hell…_

Kanata opened his eyes. The clock on his bedside table blinked 1:25 AM.

He wondered why he couldn't move well in his bed. He turned and got a shock to see Miyu sleeping beside him, a washcloth in her hand.

_My Miyu… My beautiful Miyu… You're so good to take care of me like this._

He felt overwhelmed with love, so much that he wanted to shake her awake just so he could tell her.

But doubt filled him. _She knows I'm the Octagon. She's probably repulsed. She hates my guts for cheating on Christine… Miyu's like that, she cares for everyone. That's why I love her… _

He let out a small sigh and turned his back on her.

Beside him, Miyu awoke just in time to hear him whisper, "That's why I love you, Miyu."


	4. uncertainty is in the air

The morning sun streamed through the windows

The morning sun streamed through the windows. Miyu awoke and got up slowly, pondering what Kanata whispered last night. _He was probably delirious. _She had learned a long time ago not to get her hopes up, because it was painful to see them crashing down.

She placed a hand on Kanata's forehead. "Still hot…" she murmured. She gently placed a cool washcloth on his forehead. "Kanata-kun, please get well soon…"

Kanata woke up to the smell of smoke. _Is something burning?_

His noticed that Miyu wasn't beside him anymore. _Where the heck is she? _A frightening thought occurred to him. _Maybe the temple's burning and she's trapped! Oh, my god._

He leapt out of the bed, even though he was still weak, and started yelling, "Miyu? Miyu!"

"I'm in the kitchen!" she replied.

_Whew, she's okay._ He relaxed. "What's that smell?"

As he staggered into a chair in the dining room, Miyu sternly said, "You're not supposed to get out of bed. You need your rest!"

"I smelled smoke… so I decided to check on you…"

She looked embarrassed as she shifted position to hide the stove. "Nothing was burning." _Baka! This is so humiliating!_

"What are you hiding?" Kanata's voice was weak but curious.

"Nothing! I'm not hiding anything!" Miyu's red face gave her away. _Damn it!_

Kanata folded his arms. "If you don't tell me, I won't go back to bed and rest. I'll wear myself out and get sicker."

Miyu said indignantly, "Go ahead! I'm not going to take care of you if you do that."

"All the same, you will be the one to blame if I die of this illness." Kanata's voice was serious, but his insides were doing backflips. _We're arguing! We're back to normal!_

He felt happy even when Miyu snapped angrily, "All right, I was trying to cook breakfast! Are you happy now?"

"Why the _hell_ did you do that? You can't even boil water, let alone _cook_. Are you trying to poison me?" Kanata tried to stand up, but his legs gave way and he collapsed onto the chair again. "Good thing we have some leftover lemon chicken, we can eat that."

Unlike the dinner they had last night, their breakfast was unpleasant. Miyu immediately went to her room after eating, leaving Kanata in the kitchen.

_He is such a jerk! I was only trying to cook for him. _She wondered what had gone wrong with her porridge. It turned out gluey and it was stuck so hard to the pan that she couldn't stir it.

She sighed. She was so confused, and not only about the porridge.

She thought Kanata was making the moves on her, but if he was, then why was he fighting with her? _Charming, my ass! He's as appealing as a snake._

But then, if he _wasn't_ making the moves on her, then why was he so sweet? He held her hand at every opportunity and was thoughtful and kind. _That guy is so weird! I don't know his real intentions._

And last night, he said, "That's why I love you, Miyu." _Does he love me? _Miyu figured that it was too long for it to be sleeptalking, but why would Kanata say that?

Worst of all, she couldn't even ask him about it. She felt so awkward about the Octagon business, especially after what she had said to him.

She decided that whether or not Kanata was making the moves on her, she was going to act naturally around him. _After all, I miss our old friendship. Maybe he's just being sweet because he missed me too. But if he thinks he can fool around with me, I'll kill him!_

After a few days, Kanata recovered. He and Miyu forgot about their breakfast fight, and they spent the following days enjoying the company of one another.

He decided to ask Miyu out. _This is it,_ he thought, knocking on Miyu's bedroom door. "Miyu, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" She finished brushing her hair and turned to face him.

_She looked beautiful, dazzling, like sunlight._ Kanata cleared his throat nervously. "I, uh, wanted to ask you—um, I mean, let's--" He couldn't seem to get the words out.

He panicked. He had asked many girls out on a date, but he had never, _ever_ choked. And now he was stuttering as he invited the girl of his dreams! _How ironic._

"Do you want to--I mean--go out with me!" he yelled, turning tomato-red.

Miyu was puzzled. "What? You're inviting me on a date?"

He swallowed. "Yes?"

"Oh…" Miyu was speechless; lost in thought.

Should she follow her head or her heart?

"Okay."

Kanata seemed flabbergasted. "Really? You want to go out with me? Why?"

Miyu raised her eyebrows. "If you don't want to, then I guess I won't go…"

"I want you to go!" He breathed a sigh of relief. "We'll go to a fancy restaurant tomorrow night. We'll have a great time eating and dancing."

The next night, Miyu was agonizing over what to wear. She didn't want to look pretty or sweet: she wanted to look _fabulous_ for Kanata.

She put on a silk, azure knee-length dress and silver kitten heels, then applied lipstick, blush and mascara. She grinned at her reflection giddily, then headed to the hallway where Kanata stood waiting. He looked exceptionally handsome tonight in a tuxedo. _So handsome! No wonder so many girls fell for him. Including me…_

"I hired a limousine to get us there." He sounded nervous, which Miyu thought strange.

"A limousine? You really splurged." Her eyes narrowed. She wanted her suspicions about Kanata's intentions to be wrong, but it seemed that he was giving her reasons to doubt him.

"I know. But I want only the best for you." He made it to sound like a joke, but he meant it.

They got in and chatted as the limo headed downtown. After 30 minutes, the chauffeur announced, "Here we are: Le Cuisine Italian."

Kanata's heart seemed to skip a beat. Anxiously he felt for the tiny box in the inside pocket of his tux. _This is it! This is my shot!_


	5. the special dinner date

Miyu stepped into Le Cuisine Italian and took in the tuxedoed waiters carrying trays, polished wooden tables with gleaming silverware, and the quartet playing music to dancing couples.

She heard Kanata say to the hostess, "Table for two, Yoko. The _Saionji_ party, please."

Miyu turned around to see him wink at the hostess, who smiled and said, "Right away, Mr. Saionji. We have a special table for you…"

Miyu shook her head. _Jerk. He's hitting on a hostess while on a date with me._

The hostess led them to a secluded area. "Just like you requested, Mr. Saionji."

Miyu stared at their place, where white rose petals were scattered all over the floor. _Request?_

"Excellent! Thank you, Yoko." Kanata handed the hostess a tip. Then he pulled out a chair for Miyu, who was surprised by this gentlemanly gesture. She wondered if this was part of his "charming guy" routine.

When they had settled into their seats, the waiter came over. Kanata said, "Well, Miyu, what do you want to eat?"

Miyu scanned the menu. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers as she said, "Um, Kanata, are you sure you can afford--"

"Sure I can! Order anything you want."

She scoffed. "Okay, but if you can't pay, I'm not washing dishes. I'll have the Fettuccini Alfredo and mozzarella sticks. And cream cheese parcels. Oh, and _gelato_ for dessert!"

Kanata was unfazed. After all, he was used to Miyu's hearty appetite. "I'll have the baked ziti, and _gelato_, too."

The waiter left as the quartet arrived at their table and started playing. Miyu noticed that all the songs they were playing were her favorites. "This is quite a nice place, Kanata."

"I know. Christine introduced me to this place when we were dating--" He broke off, embarrassed.

"Was she your first girlfriend?" Miyu was incredulous.

"Yup." He seemed uncomfortable discussing his past relationships. "Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

"No." Miyu steered the conversation towards him. "How come you know the hostess? Do you come here often?"

His face turned red. "I, uh, always invited my ex-girlfriends to eat here, so Yoko's pretty familiar with me."

Miyu was taken aback. "Let me ask you something." She looked directly into his eyes, which he found strange. Miyu wasn't a frank person. "Kanata, why did you date eight girls at once?"

He found it hard to respond. "Because," he finally said, "I felt lonely, and they were all there to comfort me."

"What a stupid reason! You broke their hearts for that? Selfish pig!" She was indignant and pissed at the same time. _You are such a baka, Kanata Saionji!_

"You don't understand!" _I did it because of you, Miyu-chan. _

"I really don't!"

Fortunately, the arrival of the dishes interrupted their would-be argument. Kanata relaxed. _The evening is saved! For now…_

Miyu took a bite of a cream cheese parcel and asked Kanata, "Why the hell did you change, Kanata? Why the radical transformation from woman-hater to womanizer?"

Kanata speared a piece of ziti on his fork. "I told you, I was lonely and bored."

"You really are a selfish pig." She gave him a look as she started on her mozzarella sticks.

He dropped his fork with a _clang_ and glared at her. "You really want to know the truth?"

"Well, duh. If I didn't, I wouldn't be asking you."

He glared at her some more before saying, "Because, Miyu-chan, I missed you and I wanted to fill the hole in my heart that you left."

They stared at each other for a full minute. And then they started to laugh.

Miyu giggled. "Really, Kanata-kun? Well, I am so in love with you, too. I missed you badly." _It's the truth,_ her mind added. _I really am in love with you._

Kanata laughed along. _She thinks I was joking?_ "I am terribly glad I found you again." _Glad? I'm over the moon that I found you again!_

They laughed until their stomachs hurt, not realizing that what the other was saying was true.

After dinner, Miyu stifled a burp. "Oh, Kanata, that was heaven."

Kanata smiled and leaned over to wipe some food off Miyu's mouth. "Let's dance, Miyu-chan." They went to the dance floor and started to sway.

Miyu clasped her hands around his neck. "Thank you for a grand evening out. I especially liked the limo, it was a nice touch."

"Don't thank me for that. Thank Yui." He held Miyu's waist tightly and he wished the music would never stop, because he was so contented.

"Why?"

"Um, because she was the one who paid for that limo. It was supposed to be for the two of us, but we broke up, so… I used it on you." Miyu heard the embarrassment in his voice.

He could not have said a worse thing. Miyu pulled away and said, "So you used it on me?"

"Yup."

He couldn't see what the big deal was, until Miyu slapped him.

The whole restaurant seemed to freeze as Miyu pulled her arm back and slapped Kanata again on the other cheek. "Jerk! I told you that you deserve to be slapped if you think I'll be one of your girls!" She strode outside, shaking.

Kanata stood as if rooted to the spot. He was stunned, but one thought registered in his mind: _I won't let her go!_

He threw some cash at Yoko as he ran outside. "Miyu!"

He spotted a gleam of azure in a dark alley, and he ran after it. "Miyu! Wait!" He wasn't an athlete for no reason, though, so he easily caught up with her. "Can you just explain to me what that was about?"

Miyu faced him, tears running down her beautiful face. "Y-you idiot," she hiccupped. "I t-told you I won't be one of your girlfriends! I l-l-love you and you just want me to be part of your Octagon--"

He tried to wipe her tears but she threw his hand off. "Miyu, let me explain! I went out with all those other girls because I thought they could replace you, but they couldn't, I was so wrong, I'm sorry."

_Kanata, you baka! _She was shaking with sobs. "I've been so confused, you moron! I didn't know if you were really nice to me or you were just putting me on, I was going through hell trying to decide how to act around you! You jerk! I tried to give you a chance to see if you were genuine! And now I find out that you're treating me like one of your little girlfriends--"

"That's not true!" He was angry now. _That's so unfair; she only ever heard rumors about me! _"I never treated you like one of them, Miyu! I treated them like crap, I admit it! I was always lying to them about one thing or another, but now with you, Miyu! You were always the one who could see right through me!"

Kanata punched the brick wall of the alley. "Damn it, Miyu! The only reason I became the Octagon was you! I was trying to forget you! And now, my reputation's trashed, I still can't forget about you and you're about to leave me!"

He breathed heavily, massaging his fist. He started pacing.

Miyu was silent for a while. Then she said quietly, "I won't leave you."

"What?"

"I will not leave you."

He thought he hadn't heard her correctly. "Why not? You want to be given the Octagon treatment?"

"No. Because I believe that you're a good person who made a mistake." She stepped towards him. "I made a mistake, too. I judged you by rumors and reputations. I should never have doubted your intentions towards me."

They hugged, whispering apologies to each other.

Kanata pulled away. He remembered something he had to do.

Pulling out a velvet box from his coat, he knelt in front of Miyu. "Miyu Kouzouki, will you be my girlfriend?"

Miyu laughed. "As long as I'm your only one."

And Kanata knew everything was going to be great, because he had Miyu at his side again.


End file.
